Blender, InMoov (as Ironman), Python, PySerial, Propeller and Hacked Positional Servo
I have just started using Blender connected to my Propeller to control a Virtual Inmoov robot Head :-
[video=youtube_share;upa7knl-FeM]
The process uses the 3D open source Blender environment (Game Mode).
The servo you see in the video is a standard metal geared one... a wire is simply tacked onto the middle (Wiper) connection of the servos feedback potentiometer.
This wire is connected to the ADC port on my Propeller system.
It basically gives you the position of the servo at any time.
This signal is sent over the Propellers Serial link .... where Blender picks it up (via PySerial)
Some additional Python code reads the data and translates it to position/rotation data ready to be linked to the objects in Blender
You can then turn the Servo manualy to adjust the positioning. or (eventualy) use Blender to drive the Servo.
Update 20141112 :-Parents and Children Objects
[IMG]http://myrobotlab.org/sites/default/files/users/user25images/Picture 104a.jpg[/IMG]
Have Just configured 4 Potentiometers to contol my Blender Virtual Robot Arm.. Using a Propeller to TX four Analogs over a Serial link. Using Python code to control the actuators.
Each arm part is parented to next in the chain , meaning that they are all connected as one limb however able to turn on its parents axis.
[video=youtube_share;upa7knl-FeM]
The process uses the 3D open source Blender environment (Game Mode).
The servo you see in the video is a standard metal geared one... a wire is simply tacked onto the middle (Wiper) connection of the servos feedback potentiometer.
This wire is connected to the ADC port on my Propeller system.
It basically gives you the position of the servo at any time.
This signal is sent over the Propellers Serial link .... where Blender picks it up (via PySerial)
Some additional Python code reads the data and translates it to position/rotation data ready to be linked to the objects in Blender
You can then turn the Servo manualy to adjust the positioning. or (eventualy) use Blender to drive the Servo.
Update 20141112 :-Parents and Children Objects
[IMG]http://myrobotlab.org/sites/default/files/users/user25images/Picture 104a.jpg[/IMG]
Have Just configured 4 Potentiometers to contol my Blender Virtual Robot Arm.. Using a Propeller to TX four Analogs over a Serial link. Using Python code to control the actuators.
Each arm part is parented to next in the chain , meaning that they are all connected as one limb however able to turn on its parents axis.
Comments
Blender is one of the best free software applications available in Linux. I haven't tried interfacing it with the Propeller as of yet, but have done some gig animations with it.
In theory, you can make a full length animated movie with Blender, or create a commercially viable video game. So far, my own work has been just a few seconds of animation.
Its my one and only choice for 3D work... Its helped me out countless times ..I highly recommend it ... For 3D print design its magic.
I have not done much with animations.... however (hence placing this in Forums) its Game Engine has a lot to offer in Robotic "Real Time" control.
There are many/many Arduino>Blender articles out there ... way to many..... most are very miss-leading (yes I am afraid so..... and always using 9600 Baud "Wot", need I say more)....
......so I thought it was time to tip the balance and marry Propeller<>Blender ( it comfortably talks @115200 Baud.)..
As soon as I have worked out a few more details ... there will be full Propeller documentation.
Regards G
I have a couple of Python comments for you Nikos :-
import mathutils
from math import radians (etcetcetc)...
You wil be glad to hear that here is mathematics involved ....
I have written some Blender Tutorials set up already .... maybe I should post these in a separate forum .... as they are a pre_requisite to the Propeller "Serial" interfacing I am working towards.
( There are still a few creased ends that need to be Ironed out)
Already posted .... just type "Blender >" into the forum search bar ... and I am sure it will increment over the next few weeks....
I haven't played with Blender in a long time, and last I did, everything was in "Blender units" instead of human units (inches or millimeters). Has that changed? I have learning Blender on my to-do list for incorporating 3D models into my little video projects (using HitFilm). If I can -- as you say -- use it as a 3D Swiss Army Knife to tech modeling, too, that would be fantastic.
Some months ago I saw an industrious Blender user created a camera plaftorm controller with it for shooting complex time-lapse sequences; in that case it was going from Blender out via serial. Still, it was very cool and got me wanting to explore Blender again.
I'm kind of a book learner. Can you recommend a good book on learning the latest version of Blender?
Yes you can switch to metric or imperial these days..... just be careful using the Scale command.
I am afraid I cant recommend any books ... however I will dig out a few of my trusted links over the next few days...
regards G
-- http://gryllus.net/Blender/3D.html
They continue to make good inroads with the feature set, but the UI is still heavily criticized. The developers go out of their way to defend things like "easy to use vs easy to learn" but other 3D apps like Maya, Carrara, Bryce, and others don't seem to have these same excuses. The Blender folks spent considerable time developing a set of documentation for it, but the docs suffer from lack of context, with many new terms introduced when trying to explain others. It's really best as reference, not for learning. IMO, anyway.
There are LOTS of books on Blender -- Tony Mullen is one of the lead writers in this area -- but because of the changes in the program, I wouldn't get any that are more than a few years old, if possible. I've found stashes of YouTube videos and blog tutorials that provide good how-to, like Hirsig's list. The guy who runs blenderguru.com has some good tutorials as well.
I agree .... However the info is precise (yes you have to backtrack a little as there is a complex beast is sitting beneath it all).
Its also true Re:- two years ...... Blender updates easily every month... there is always beta versions sitting in the background too.
I have used the other packages you have noted ... even Bryces sister Poser... solid works ..opencad ... however I keep settling back into my "Blender" Armchair, the Gui is fine once you know where to find things. The last few Blender updates have improved the Gui, so they are on top of it.
Result :- Some of my 3D designs in 3D print form. Chiprobot-Thingiverse
Daz Studio, and to a somewhat lesser extent Poser, show that it's very possible to create a self-discoverable UI. The almost randomness of the Blender UI organization (I know they are addressing this) is a deterrent to wider use of the program, which is a shame given its power -- and the fact that it's free. But once you know it, you know it.
Of course, neither Daz nor Poser are really meant to design complex 3D figures from scratch, but rather to "pose" then for rendering. I use Poser quite a bit, but not as much with its internal biased renderer. Currently using Lux, and waiting five hours...
Very nice work on Thingiverse. I like the Tri-Max Gripper a lot.
[h=2]Virtual InMoov gets "Potted"[/h]
It was quite a work to "Rigg" the file that Gael sent me.... Its feasible, and the speed is good.
So far I have only automated the fingers , arm, and shoulder joint.
...and now that I can understand the mechanisms .... next job is to add some bones to make pose_ing easier (in the blender environment).
The Potentiometers work well and the Propeller is travelling @ 115200 Baud.
Now I will search a Potentiometer bank to help develop further.